Dan Witz: In Plain View — 30 Years of Artworks Illegal and Otherwise is the first and long overdue monograph on the work of Dan Witz. A benefit of having one of the most sustained careers in street art, if such a thing exists, is the degree of growth, freedom and experimentation that such an extended period allows. Another advantage would be the influence of the aesthetic environs within the changing cultural landscape, especially if you happen to work in New York City.

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From the no-wave and DIY movements of New York’s Lower East Side of the 70’s, through the Reaganomics of the 80’s to the flourishing of graffiti art in the new millennium. Whether stickers or paste-up silk-screened posters, conceptual pranks and interventions, or beautiful tromp l’oeil paintings, the medium is inspired as much by the nature and subject of his art as by the mutating urban conditions in which the piece is executed.

Besides obvious craftsmanship, the artwork of Dan Witz evinces a rigorous conceptual framework. This framework not only opens up a dialogue with graffiti and street art which dominate the urban environment, but also allows for the retention of clear and open lines with the canon of art history.

Known as the “godfather of street art,” Dan Witz has been painting his signature hummingbirds since the late seventies. Witz was inspired by the vibrant graffiti of the day, but took his street art in an entirely different direction through his small, intricate paintings. more...